Pumping system for player-pianos



R. W. SCOTT.

PUMPING SYSTEM FOR PLAYER PIANOS;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-12,1919.

1,389,322. Pa entedAug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- k gf R. W. SCOTT.

PUMPING SYSTEM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-l2, I919.

' PatentedAug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS -SHEET 2.

. Y V l n -N I MWIL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAY W. SCOTT, OF NEW YQRK, N. Y.., ASSIGNOR," BY DIRECT AND IVIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF TWO-FIFTIIS TO SCOTT PLAYER ACTION (30., 0F. RAGINE, WISCON- SIN, A. COEIORATION TRUST COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

TRUSTEE.

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, RAY YV. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pumping Systems for Player-Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pumping systems for player pianos and like mechanisms, and the object of the invention is to provide compensating or equalizing mechanism so that when the tension in the storage reservoir is high, and hence would tend to increase the intensity of the hammer blows, the throw of the hammers will be proportionately reduced. This equalizes the blows and produces a uniform loudness of tone.

I accomplish my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which *igure 1 is a side elevation of a player piano in which my improved mechanism is embodied. Portions of the sides of the instrument are broken away to more clearly show the parts within.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts which more particularly form the es sential features of the invention.

Like numerals denote like parts in both views.

In the form selected to illustrate the invention, the numeral 1 represents the piano case. At the usual location at the bottom of the instrument is located the pumping system which according to my design, constitutes a unitary structure which may be in serted or withdrawn as a whole. The pumping system includes treadles 2 connected by links 3 to exhaust pumps 4 in the usual manner. The pumps communicate with a channel or wind chest 5 and this in turn communicates with storage reservoirs 6, in the usual manner. The channel is provided with a nipple 8 for attachment to a tube leading to the player action'as is wellknown in the art. The exhaust pump, storage reservoir and channel are all fastened together and constitute an integral unit movable as a single entity.

A lifting lever 11 is pivoted to a pin 12 located in the edge 13 of the stationary front wall of the storage reservoir as shown in the or rumors, AND

Specification of Letters Patent.

connected by a link 35 to the forward THREE-FIETI'IS TO THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS,

PUMPING SYSTEM FOR PLAYEB-PIANOS. 4

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

Application filed September 12, 1919. Serial No. 323,319.

lower left corner of Fig. 2. This lever has a bend 14 between its ends which rides over an antifriction roller .15 mounted upon the edge 16 of the movable rear wall of the storage reservoir. The parts are so constructed and arranged that as the storage reservoir tends to collapse, due to increasing air tension therein, the bend of the lever will ride up over the roller and thereby raise the rear end of said lever. This rear end of the lever 11 underlies a collar 18 rigidly fastened by set screw 19 or otherwise to the soft pedal stick 20. The rise of this stick shortens the throw of the hammer 21 and thus softens the blow in the well known manner. Thus it will be observed that the soft pedal stick rises and shortens the hammer throw in proportion as the storage reservoir collapses under the effect of "increased air tension. Consequently the effect of one compensates for the effect of the other and the intensity of the hammer blows tends to remian uniform.

A pneumatic 30 is mounted upon the stationary front of the storage reservoir 6. This pneumatic has a movable front board 31 which is pivoted at the point 32 to' the lower end of the stationary board 34 fastened to the stationary front board of the storage reservoir. An L-shaped crank 33 is rigidly fastened to the edge of said front board 31, its corner being preferably substantially in the line of the axis of said front board. The rearwardly extending arm of said crank is end of a lifting lever 36 which is pivoted to the pin i 37 rigidly board of the storage reservoir. The rear end of the lever 36 underlies and engages a collar 39 rigidly fastened by a set screw 40 or otherwise to the loud pedal stick 4:1. The rise of the loud pedal stick produces a louder tone in the instrument according to the usual practice. The auxiliary pneumatic and the just described parts which it operates are so constructed and arranged that when the tension in the pneumatic increases and tends to collapse it, it will cause the lowering of the rear end of the crank 33 which causes a lowering of the link 35 and a raising of the rear endkof the lever 36 and of the loud pedal stic fastened to the stationary front 1 As a result of my invention the mechanism includes a compensatory device by which increased tension in the storage reservoir, which would tend to increase the intensity of the hammer blow, is automatically compensated for by a corresponding decrease in the length of the hammer throw.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. in a player piano action in which a soft pedal. stick rises to shorten the throw of the hammers, a pumping system having a storage reservoir, one wall of which is movable, a lifting lever which at one end underlies a portion of the pedal stick for lifting it, said lever having a stationary fulcrum at the other end and having a cam surface in it between its ends whereby the motion of the pedal stick is increased in comparison with the motion of the cam, and a controlling element actuated by the movable wall of the reservoir and adapted to actuate said cam for raising and lowering the lever and pedal stick in accordance with the movement of the movable wall or" the reservoir.

2. The eon'ibination with a player piano action having a floating hammer rail and a pedal stick which rises to shorten the throw of the hammers, of a pumping system having a storage reservoir one wall of which is movable, aliiting lever having a stationary fulcrum, the lever lying under the pedal stick and being adapted to lift it, the lever also having a cam formed in it, and an anti. friction roller mounted on the movable wall of the reservoir and adapted to travel back and forth along said cam for raising and lowering the pedal stick in accordance with the movement of the movable wall of the reservoir.

In witness whereof, cribed my name.

I have hereunto sub- RAY WV. SCOTT. 

